


Can I Trust You?

by nadiac869



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Fluff, M/M, Niall is only mentioned, lots and lots of fluff, side Liam and Zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 05:29:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1886796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nadiac869/pseuds/nadiac869
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is different and Louis just wants to work him out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can I Trust You?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eppyisonlysleeping](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eppyisonlysleeping/gifts).



> So this fic took me a long time to write for no good reason...  
> I love superhero!au so I thought, why not?
> 
> Obligatory Disclaimer: I'm sorry if this looks like someone elses work, it's not, i wrote it myself, and no i do not own the boys or the superhero cliche

The problem, Harry thought, was that he didn't know who to trust any more. Sure, there was his best friends Zayn and Liam but if Harry really thought about it they were too far into their own world to notice that there was something wrong with Harry's.

 

He looked across the lunch room to where Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan were sitting. Harry had been intrigued by Louis Tomlinson from the very first time he stepped foot into their first grade class. He was a perpetual energy ball with an endless supply of jokes and good humour. Louis had been friends with Niall for almost as long as Harry had been admiring him. He admired their friendship, the tight bond between them that allowed secrets to be laid out in the open and nothing to go unseen by the other. Harry had that with Liam and Zayn, sure, but it wasn't to the same extent as Louis and Niall. Louis was fit too, but Harry claimed it wasn't the only reason he admired him from a distance.

 

Harry was different. That much was obvious. To anyone that knew him, or even those he didn't he supposed, it was obvious that he was an individual, not quite like anyone else, but then again, no one could place why he was so different to begin with. 

 

Harry was a hero. Not one of those ridiculous super heroes you read about and see in films but he was the closest thing you could probably get. He had powers, mind control, telekinesis, strength, speed, flight, rapid healing, all to a certain extent. He wasn't alone, there were a handful of people born into every generation with his powers but they weren't ever in the same area, let alone the same country. Harry had never met anyone like him but as soon as he had developed the powers at a young age his mum made it her personal mission to find out as much about it as she could. The information was out there but not as easily found as it may seem. Most of the truth was covered up by conspiracies and all the books and movies made about them. 

 

Harry longed to tell someone other than his mum. Zayn and Liam maybe, if they got out of their little personal bubble long enough to notice that something was wrong. He wanted above all else to find someone who would understand and accept him as he was instead of having to hide the most crucial part of himself away to hide from the public. 

 

***

 

Harry hated gym class with a passion. It wasn't that he couldn't do what was asked of him, quite the opposite really, he had to pretend that he wasn't good at everything. The super strength and speed he had were the biggest nuisances possible during this class and what made it worse was neither Liam nor Zayn were in his class. Louis was in his class however which made it even harder to stay on his guard. It made it so hard for Harry to follow orders that it turned him into possibly the clumsiest person in the school.

 

It was one of the only times he would ever attempt talking to Louis. His constant tripping and stumbling always giving his classmates something to laugh at, Louis included, so he thought maybe, what would be the odds of becoming Louis' friend in the process of embarrassing himself?

 

It seemed to be a harder task than he thought, every time he went to say something to the older boy he ended up stumbling over his words or not being able to produce words at all. Louis laughed in good nature but Harry always had a lingering thought that maybe it was more mocking than good nature.

 

Harry wanted to use his mind reading on Louis, it was the one advantage he had on almost anyone in his position, but long before he even know about Louis Tomlinson he made a promise to himself that he wouldn't use his powers for any selfish acts, which included finding out what Louis thought about him.

 

It wasn't until the lesson that he got hurt that Louis took any proper notice of him, or so he thought. 

 

*** 

 

"Hey mate watch out!" Louis called as he pelted a ball towards the box of footballs sitting directly behind Harry. Harry ducked out of the way quickly, narrowly escaping a head on collision with the ball, the one thing Harry didn't count on, was there being balls around his feel when he sidestepped. He tripped straight over a ball and went sprawling flat on his stomach, giving a groan of pain.

 

"Oh shit, are you okay?" Louis asked, rushing towards Harry who probably seemed more injured than he was with the amount of fuss he was making. He could feel a bit of blood on his hand where he had reached out to grab the closest object to disrupt his fall, that object obviously had to be the sharp corner of a box. 

"I'm alright," Harry mumbled, slowly getting up and getting his bearings again, closing his hand into a fist by his side feeling the skin quickly repairing itself. He wiped his hands on his gym shorts to rid himself of any blood left on his hand before he noticed that Louis was looking down at his shorts. Harry's gaze dropped down, realising that his white shorts were now a pinky red colour with the blood he had wiped onto them.

"You're not okay mate! You're bleeding! Let me take you to a teacher! Or no wait, the nurse yeah I'll take you to the nurse!" He exclaimed, his eyes widening in a panic. 

 

Harry's own expression was an exact mirror. He knew he probably couldn't explain the fresh blood stain on his pants nor could he explain his secret to someone he's only just met, even if he's known of him for almost all his life.

 

"No it's okay!" Harry cried out, trying to calm down Louis' panicking. Harry held his hands up for Louis to examine, figuring it was probably better this way then to have Louis report it to a teacher or the school nurse when there was nothing physically wrong with Harry.

 

"But... I don't understand, that's blood on your shorts!" Louis exclaimed pointing with wide eyes.

"It's old blood,” Harry reassured, he could only hope Louis didn't watch him as much as Harry watched Louis or he would be so caught out.

"I swear it wasn't there before!" Louis muttered, staring disbelievingly.

"We all know how much of a clutz I am, it's been there for a while, you're looking too far into things," Harry managed to get out. It was just beginning to catch up with him that he was talking to his crush- what no, he mean his inspiration of sorts.

"Right, sure, um for all it's worth I'm sorry?" Louis sounded questioning instead of reassuring, "maybe I can make it up to you?" He added and Harry's attention perked up,

"Make it up to me how?" Harry asked, suddenly sounding more interested.

"Not sure yet, give me your number and maybe we'll work it out," Louis stated and Harry was lost for words, instead opting to take out his phone and hand it to Louis, getting Louis phone in return.

"I'll see you around, Curly," Louis smiled at him as he walked towards the change rooms.

"My names Harry," he called out to him.

"I know." The sound of laughter fading away as Louis walked into the change rooms was enough to put a large smile on Harry's face.

 

***

 

"Why is Tommo looking at you?" Liam asked sitting down in the lunch room opposite Harry.

"Dunno," Harry shrugged. Despite the exchange of numbers, he hadn't heard from the caramel haired boy all week. Liam shrugged it off as he started to talk to Zayn however it made Harry think; why was Louis looking at him?

 

“What’s up with you lately, Harry?” Zayn asked, snapping Harry out of his internal questioning. “What’s up with you?” Zayn repeated giving Harry a questioning look.

“Nothing, there’s nothing wrong with me,” Harry rushed out. He was unaware that Liam and Zayn had noticed his lack of attention lately.

“Yes there is, you’re constantly spacing out, what are you thinking about so hard that it’s causing you this internal battle?” Liam questioned, resting his hand subtly on top of Zayns on the table; Harry would question them about it later.

“Nothing, I swear, nothing’s wrong, I’m just a bit behind on school work,” Harry tried to give an excuse; he knew both Zayn and Liam saw straight through his lie.

“Don’t lie to us Harry, we’re better friends than that I would hope,” Zayn raised an eyebrow.

“I just… I don’t think I can tell you, really, it’s something that’s happening at home, or well all the time really, but I don’t want to drag you guys into it,” Harry tried to explain, failing miserably.

“Is it your parents Haz? I thought Anne and Robin were good? Didn’t they only get married last fall? They can’t be having problems already surely?” Liam questioned.

“No! It’s not mum, I swear, her and Robin are fine, sickeningly so sometimes. It’s just something that I’ve been doing lately that’s causing a bit of stress, that’s all,” Harry explained.

 

He wasn’t lying, his schoolwork was getting increasingly harder in his last year of high school and Louis supposedly making up for making Harry fall has been on his mind, but it was nothing compared to the increasing crime rate in the city. Him and his mum had an agreement that if Harry wasn’t at school, he had free reign over what he wanted to do. He had decided early on that he wanted to be like a superhero you see in books and movies however, he realised quickly that situations are harder to find than one would expect. When he told his mum what he wanted to do, she began helping him, finding him small things like store robberies and occasionally helping people escape from burning buildings, it was the closest he could get to becoming a full-fledged superhero. His mum only had one condition and Harry agreed with it completely, he couldn’t allow people to know who was doing the saving. He didn’t go by any alternate names; he didn’t even have a ‘super suit’ or costume.

 

Harry wanted so badly to tell Zayn and Liam, he could tell them, he supposed, he trusted them with his life, but they would never believe him and he couldn’t show them, not in the public setting of the lunch room anyway.

 

“You promise to tell us what’s bothering you soon before it eats you away?” Zayn asked, still sounding like a concerned parent.

“Yeah Zayn, Li, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine, it’s not hurting me, it’s just a bit of stress, nothing I can’t handle,” Harry reassured, knowing that his friends probably wouldn’t let go of it very easily since they had now caught on.

 

***

 

Harry was having a bad day. First, he missed his alarm, then his mum pleaded with him to go into the city where a store was being robbed, hostages were being kept in the store, mainly consisting of mothers and babies. On top of having to try and get around an entire squadron of police without being spotted, he had to try and get into the store, free the hostages and hand over the robber to the police without being identified. The job itself wasn’t hard, he entered through the back door where there were no police, he entered into the main store and compelled the robber to put down the weapon and walk straight out the front door into waiting polices arms for arrest, the hostages took care of themselves once the robber was in police’s custody. He exited out the back door once again and walked out of the alley way only to realise he had missed half his first period class. With no other option than to run, he took off, allowing his super speed to get him to the school in less than five minutes. Unfortunately for him today was just not his day and he forgot to slow to a more human pace before he got onto the school grounds, and running headfirst into none other than Louis Tomlinson at the door of the office.

 

“Oh shit I’m so sorry!” Harry exclaimed, taking a step back and checking to make sure he hadn’t actually injured Louis with the speed he was travelling at.

“Where the hell did you come from?” Louis asked looking stunned.

“I was walking and I didn’t look where I was going,” Harry lied before panicking, “I’m sorry, did I hurt you, oh god I did didn’t I, I’m such a horrible person!” He cried out.

“No Harry- Curly- you didn’t hurt me! I’m fine, I just- you came out of nowhere! What the hell was that!” Louis exclaimed looking Harry up and down to find something maybe amiss with the taller boy.

“No I swear, I was just walking, I didn’t mean to bump into you, I suppose you don’t owe me anymore for tripping me because I just full on ran into you, oh god I’m so sorry,” Harry whined.

“It’s fine Curly,” Louis smirked, “I believe now you might be the one owing me because that actually hurt mate, there was no way you were walking!” Louis laughed.

“Yes oh god,” Harry just wished the ground would swallow him up there and then. “I have to go, um, sign in, you should probably get to class, bye Louis!” Harry mumbled out, sidestepping Louis in order to enter the office and sign in, ready to start his day of classes.

 

***

 

He got all the way to lunch without any kind of incident, other than the looks he received when he walked into his first period almost exactly when it ended.

 

Zayn and Liam had all kinds of questions for him on his whereabouts that morning which he honestly didn't mind, he liked knowing that someone had noticed his absence, but he hated lying to his friends. Constantly trying to cover up why he couldn't go out with them in the afternoons and sometimes on weekends or even when he would suddenly just up and leave with little explanation when he did go out with them. It was probably better off him not constantly third wheeling he reasoned with his friends when they asked him about it.

 

"So where were you this morning?" Liam asked curiously, picking at Zayn's lunch.

"Oh I was with mum doing something, it ran late unfortunately, you know how much I hate missing school," he sighed, he technically wasn't lying, he was doing something for his mum and it did run later than he expected.

"Oh that's cool, we should stop by this afternoon and see your mum, it's been ages," Liam exclaimed suddenly.

"Oh um yeah alright sure, she gets off work at 4 and I have somewhere to be after school," he tried to reason with them.

"That's cool man, we'll come for dinner yeah?" Zayn asked and Harry nodded, pulling out his phone and texting his mum about their dinner guests.

"Sure why not," Harry shrugged finishing up his food. It was when Harry took his last bite that Louis walked past.

"I need to talk to you later Curly," Louis whispered into his ear, allowing Harry to choke on his sandwich, before walking away with a smirk on his face.

"What was that about?" Liam asked, eyeing off Louis.

"I have no idea," Harry shrugged wishing the school day to just be over with.

 

***

 

Gym was a very eventful period for Harry that day. Louis kept breaking his focus by whispering words into his ear and constantly staring at him, he almost used his powers several times that lesson.

 

After class was an even bigger nightmare for Harry, he wasn't normally a shy person but Louis pulled him aside while everyone else walked into the change room so they were alone.

"I thought about it Curly, there is no way that what you said to me this morning, or last week, was the truth," Louis stated.

"R-right," Harry stuttered nervously. "How do you suppose you're going to prove that?" He asked, somewhat apprehensively.

"You're going to take me out to dinner of course!" Louis exclaimed.

"And why am I taking you out and not the other way around?" Harry asked with wide eyes. There was no way that this wasn't a date, he knew Louis wasn't straight and it was never really questioned what his own sexuality was.

"You said so this morning, you owe me now not the other way around," he explained before giving him a cheeky wink and walking towards the change rooms. 

"Friday at 7pm!" Harry called out, gaining some confidence from Louis' cheekiness. "Text me your address I'll pick you up!" Harry called out again before walking towards the exit, not bothering to get changed as gym was his last class.

 

***

 

Harry's afternoon was quite eventful considering his morning of bad luck and his stroke of good luck with Louis, it was bound for his bad luck to come back again at some point.

 

After school he did what he normally did, tuned into the emergency services line and picked out a building fire where a child was stuck in the building. Harry enjoyed fires the most, it gave him a true sense of heroism when he was able to save people, kids mostly, from the deadly flames.

 

He got into the burning building with no trouble, locating the six year old girl who was hidden in her bathroom where the heavy door was keeping most of the smoke out, protecting her from the flames for as long as the building held together. All Harry had to do was collect the little girl in his arms, wrap her in his weatherproof coat to shield her from most the flames and the smoke and walk her out the back door where he deposited her and showed her a clear route to where emergency services were pulling up out the front. Harry took off, not allowing the girl to get a proper look at him as his body was mostly full of ash and healing skin where he had been burned by the flames.

 

Harry ran home, aware that flying would bring too much attention to himself and running was much faster. What he hadn't counted on were Zayn and Liam waiting for him back at his house, his one sacred place where everything that he was, was displayed out in the open.

 

He heard their voices talking with his mum before he saw them.

"That's amazing!" He heard Liam exclaim, the sound of the television on just audible to Harry's sensitive ears.

"I know! How did the girl even get out of the building! All the reports are claiming she was stuck on a high floor! She's hardly burnt or anything! It's as if she was protected from the flames as she just walked straight out of the building!" He heard Zayn exclaim. They were watching a news report of the fire he had just attended. Shit. His body was covered in ash and dust, there was no way to get past the living room without them seeing him.

 

"Shh Zayn listen! They interviewed the girl!" Liam responded. He could hear his mum’s sigh of relief once the girl started talking about the stranger that walked in and saved her and then vanished. The worst thing he heard though was the description the little girl gave. He was so careful, and she was so young, he was unsure how she managed to get such a good look at him.

 

"What did the man look like sweetheart?" He heard the reporter ask.

"He was tall," he heard her high pitched voice giggle. "Really tall, like a giraffe, and he had really curly hair," she giggled again. "His eyes were green like the ocean," she said after a moment, he heard the TV switch off suddenly, realising in slow horror that there was absolutely no way he could get this past Liam and Zayn now without some kind of explanation.

 

Harry walked down the corridor trying to sneak past the living room, his mum forbidding him to use his speed in the house due to his random bouts of clumsiness. Unfortunately he walked past just as Zayn looked up into the hall.

"Harry! You're finally- what the hell happened to you?" He asked finally noticing the soot that covered him.

"Um... I got caught up?" Harry muttered, unable to come up with a lie.

"You look like you just walked through a fire or something-" Zayn began before Liam cut him off.

"You did didn't you, walk through a fire that is," Liam asked, almost disbelievingly. Harry glanced at his mum who gave a slight nod before she got up and walked out giving the boys some privacy.

"What do you mean he- the fire- oh my god. It was you?" Zayn questioned in utter disbelief.

"Yes?" Harry replied, sounding more like a question than an answer.

"What- how... I don't understand," Liam stumbled over his words, probably the first in the history of ever for Liam.

"Yeah feel free to explain to us how you walked into a building that was on fire and rescued a little girl like it was your daily job?" Zayn exclaimed, sounding a bit hurt, Harry couldn't blame him, he would be hurt too if his friends walked into burning buildings with seemingly no care in the world and come out unharmed.

"I don't know how to explain it," he sighed, he had to tell the truth, he just didn't know how.

"Maybe start from the beginning then," Liam recommended and Harry nodded.

"Every day after school I go out and do pretty much what I did today, I become a sort of super hero I suppose, I rescue people from burning buildings, help catch criminals all the stuff the police do except it's easier for me, with powers," Harry explained disjointedly.

"Is that where you go whenever you're hanging out with us?" Zayn asked finally catching on.

"Yeah most the time, other times you two are just too far into your personal bubble for me but yeah generally that's where I go," he explained scratching the back of his neck.

"Powers," Liam states, both Harry and Zayn give him a strange look so he explains himself. "You said 'it's easier for me, with powers' what the hell do you mean by powers, you better not just be pulling our legs here Harry," Liam dead panned.

"Oh yeah um powers, I'm sort of more like one of the superheroes you would find in your comics I suppose? I have different powers, a bit like superman I suppose," Harry exhaled.

"Like what?" Zayn asked sounding more curious than upset.

"Like well... Rapid healing, that's how I got in and out of that building without being affected, super speed and strength, flight, um, mind control and the ability to read minds, which I promise I've never ever used on you guys and telekinesis," Harry listed, not wanting to sound full of himself.

“That’s, um, that’s actually pretty cool, I suppose,” Liam murmured, trying to process the information Harry had just given him.

“You suppose?” Zayn asked in disbelief, “That’s bloody awesome mate! But why haven’t you ever told us this before? We’ve known you for over 10 years now; surely we’re not that untrustworthy?” Zayn asked.

“No, it’s not that, it’s just, the only other person that knows is my mum,” Harry tried to explain, “Not even my biological dad knows, or Robin, it’s just not something I feel like I should go around telling people is all,” Harry explained himself and he watched as Zayn and Liam shot each other a meaningful look.

“You know we won’t tell anyone right?” Liam asked softly, reassuringly.

“I know that, I just, it’s not really something I could have said that you would have believed, what was I supposed to say? ‘Oh hey guys by the way I have super powers and I’m trying to be a superhero?’ You would have thrown me in a loony bin for sure,” Harry reassured.

“I suppose you’re right, it would have been a bit weird, if you’d have just come out with it like that,” Zayn agreed and just like that, the conversation was over. It had gone so much better than Harry could have hoped for.

 

***

 

Louis was nervous. He was going out on a potential date with Harry Styles and he could not stop shaking. His palms were sweaty and he had been standing in front of his wardrobe for well over an hour knowing full well that it was almost 6.30 pm and he needed to get a move on before Harry got to his house.

 

He didn't know what to wear so he sent Harry a text trying to get some information out of him as to where they were going so he could be fully prepared for it. He got a reply but it told him to "dress warm", Louis didn't really know how else he would have dressed considering the almost below freezing temperature outside.

 

Louis pulled on a white tshirt as well as a burgundy coloured oversized jumper with his ridiculously right black skinny jeans that made his bum look excellent. There was no way he could go wrong with such a simple outfit, he reassured himself. He styled his hair quickly, realising with a huff, that it probably wouldn't settle into its normal quiff so he just left it in its natural side swept state, adding some product to keep it there.

 

There was something so different about Harry that Louis just couldn't place. He knew he hadn't been imagining things when Harry had wiped fresh blood on his shorts in gym or when Harry had come crashing into him outside the school office at in humane speeds but he didn't know what he could say to Harry that wouldn't make him sound like an absolute crazy person.

 

Louis admired himself in the mirror, making sure he looked alright before pocketing his phone and wallet and making his way down the stairs in his eerily silent house. It was a Friday night, no wonder everything was silent, all of his siblings were out with his mum or with their friends, good on them really, he thought, what better way to spend the start of the weekend.

 

When the doorbell rang at 7pm on the dot, Louis couldn't have prepared himself for the sight that stood outside his front door. Harry was wrapped up in a jumper quite like Louis' in a grey colour and jeans that Louis thought were painted on they were so tight.

 

"Ready to go?" He asked and Louis nodded, locking the door behind him.

"What do you have planned for tonight then?" Louis tried to sound confident but instead came out a bit timid. Not a great start, he thought to himself.

"You think you're getting the information out of me that easily?" Harry laughed, obviously choosing not to comment on Louis' sudden lack of confidence.

"Apparently I thought wrong," Louis smiled getting into Harry's car. 

"That's what I thought," he smirked before starting up the engine and driving away from Louis' house.

 

***

 

"An ice rink?" Louis questioned disbelievingly, staring out at their destination.

"Yes, an ice rink, have you got a problem with that?" Harry asked, sounding slightly taken aback by Louis' lack of enthusiasm.

"Well I was hoping you wouldn't go somewhere stupidly cold on an already cold night when you said 'dress warm'," Louis replied.

"I suppose you're right, if you don't want to go we can go somewhere else?" Harry asked, beginning to sound like the shy kid who Louis had first made contact with just over a week ago.

"It's fine Harry, I love ice skating, let's go," Louis smiled before getting out of the car and beginning the small walk to the indoor ice rink, not waiting up to see if Harry was following him.

 

***

 

Louis didn’t want to admit it, but he was having an extremely difficult time skating. It didn’t help that Harry had taken to the ice like a duck took to water; Louis honestly didn’t think Harry would be this good at skating considering how horrible he was at pretty much everything in their gym class.

“Oi, Styles!” Louis shouted as Harry skated past him for the billionth time. Harry slowed down immediately before skating up beside Louis.

“Problem?” He asked cheekily.

“The only problem, is that you are good at this and I am not,” Louis replied.

“And how do you suppose I fix that problem?” Harry asked, smirking. He knew Louis didn’t want to admit defeat.

“You could help me maybe?” Louis asked sassily.

“Of course I can,” Harry immediately agreed, taking Louis’ arm and pulling him off the barrier surrounding the rink.

 

As soon as Louis let go of the railing, he took a step, unsure what to do with Harry trying to tug him across the ice, and almost fell.

"Whoa Louis!" Harry exclaimed, holding him up as he got his balance back.

"I'm not very good at this," Louis admitted in defeat.

"You don't say," Harry retorted. Once Louis regained his balance, Harry started dragging him along the ice again, slowly this time. Unfortunately for the both of them, Harry hadn't accounted on other skaters being in the rink so as soon as they gained a little bit of speed, a more skilled skater came whizzing past, knocking both Harry and Louis into the guardrail. Harry grabbed the rail to steady them both and Louis swayed slightly in Harry's extremely tight grip before getting his bearings again and letting go, only to skate himself carefully over to the rail so he could hold on himself.

 

Louis failed to notice that Harry's grip on the rail was almost hard enough to snap the rail in half.

 

By the time Harry had collected himself, he stepped back onto the ice giving Louis a once over to make sure he was ok.

"You ok?" He asked, slightly hesitant.

"I'm fine, thank you for that though even if you did almost kill both of us,” Louis smiled innocently up at Harry, acknowledging the height difference between the two.

“Well ok then, don’t expect any more help from me,” Harry laughed before taking off and joining the crowd of skaters. Louis groaned, not wanting to embarrass himself by falling on his ass again.

 

***

Louis was proud of himself; he had made it almost an entire lap without falling on his ass. Granted he was gripping the handrail as if his life depended on it, but still, an entire lap! Harry skated past Louis, giggling every time, as if to show off that he could hold himself up on the ice without holding the rail, Louis just glared at him and started doubting that Harry was actually as bad at gym class as he made it out to be.  
  
Louis skated slowly past the same spot where Harry and he had almost brained themselves on the ice, running his hand over the rail not expecting anything out of the ordinary. Except that when he got to the exact point where they fell he could tell because there was a massive hand shaped indent in the railing which was bent at an odd angle. Louis stopped skating and stared at the railing. That was definitely not there before him and Harry fell. The way the heavy set metal bar had physically contorted into the shape of a hand – Harry’s hand – and was bent downwards almost as if it was about to snap cleanly in half. Louis looked over to Harry who was skating happily amongst the rest of the crowd on the ice. Harry looked over and sent him a cheeky grin before noticing the almost panicked look on Louis’ face before glancing down at the railing where Louis was holding on with a vice like grip. Harry’s expression changed almost immediately when he saw what Louis was looking at. He began skating over at a rapid pace, dodging any skaters daring to get in his way and almost hitting the wall while coming to a stop. Louis was stunned.

 

“Did you do this?” Louis asked apprehensively.

“Do what?” Harry asked; he would have seemed almost innocent had he not have had the most worried expression Louis had ever seen on his face.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Louis almost hissed at him, glaring between Harry and the bent railing. Harry slowly took Louis hand away from the railing, only to replace it with his own. It was that moment that confirmed all of Louis suspicions, the way Harry’s hand fit perfectly into the indents. Except it didn’t stop there, Louis was absolutely gobsmacked at what Harry did next. He felt around the rail for a moment before repositioning his hand and giving a small tug, bending it right back into shape even though the hand print was forever indented into the cool metal.

“How did you- What did you- What was that?” Louis squeaked, covering his mouth at the unmanly sound that he had just made.

“I think we should go,” Harry muttered before pulling Louis into his arms and skating towards the exit with Louis raised inches off the ground as if it was something he did every day.

 

***

 

Harry didn’t talk at all when they left the ice, the only words he heard him mutter was a small thank you to the lady that rented them their skates. Louis was shocked. How could Harry go from a shy, clumsy boy to a cheeky, coordinated boy and back to being reserved again all in a short space of time? It just didn’t make any sense.

 

It didn’t take a genius to work out that there was something different about Harry. Louis knew since the very first day Harry had entered their first grade classroom with his pin straight, blonde hair. Louis admired the boy from afar, how his hair eventually turned brown, how he lost all his baby fat and became more of a lean, muscled boy with the coordination skills of a giraffe. Louis admired how he grew his hair and it went curly with age, Louis didn’t even know that was possible. Harry was a boy wonder to Louis. Louis admired everything he did, he didn’t think it was even possible for a human being to be so mysterious but so perfect at the same time.

 

Louis knew that his looks weren’t what was different about him though. Louis had been noticing the small things, like how he was best friends with Liam and Zayn but he never really saw him talking to them. How he was always late to school and when school finished he was gone without a trace. That wasn’t the most abnormal thing Louis had seen though.

 

There was no way that the cut on Harry’s hand had healed quickly enough the first day they spoke, nor had he only been walking when they ran into each other at the school office, it had hurt too much for that. And now this, Harry’s strength., there was no way that any normal person could bend the heavy bar the way Harry did, the way he bent it out of place and dinted it before he bent it back into place. Also, the way Harry had picked him up as if he was light as a feather, Louis knew for a fact that he wasn’t that light, it shocked him considerably.

 

Both boys got into Harry’s car in silence and sat for several minutes, not moving anywhere. Harrys gaze was set on the steering wheel; he looked as though he was struggling to breathe through his glare. Louis was the opposite. He sat in the passenger seat of Harry’s car just admiring Harry. He noticed things he hadn’t ever thought of before.

 

Harry’s body, although looking gangly and giraffe-like, was muscly. Louis noticed his thick biceps and abs through his t-shirt, something that Louis would never have notices with all the loose t-shirts he wears to school. Louis hadn’t paid all that much attention in school but while he had a barely passing grade he knew Harry was probably one of the smartest people in school and one of the fittest, no matter how much he attempted to be bad at gym.

 

Louis was sick of the silence; Harry’s blank stare was making him nauseous.

“What was that Harry?” He asked sternly. There was no response. He sighed in annoyance. “I said, what was that Harry?” He repeated.

Louis watched as Harry slowly raised his head to face him. He took notice of the red of his eyes and the tear tracks running down his face. Louis felt bad, in that moment, for pressuring Harry into telling him what was happening, but he was confused, he didn't quite understand what was happening.

"I-I don't know what t-to s-say?" Louis heard him mumble. Louis honestly felt bad for him. This was obviously a hard thing for him.

"I want to know what happened back there Harry, I saw how that metal was bent and the hand print you left in it, I don't understand what happened- how it happened," Louis got out. Louis was starting to lose some of his initial confidence now just looking at the tear stains on Harry's face.

"It- I don't know how to explain," Harry said softly. 

"How did you do it, Harry?" Louis asked more firmly, starting to get impatient.

"I don't know! I just did okay? It's just something I can do, I don't know how or why!" Harry yelled out. Louis was stunned momentarily, how could he have gone from his soft broken boy to this annoyed teenager in such a short amount of time?

"Is that what you have to say about the cut on your hand and you just appearing and running into me at school?" Louis was getting frustrated that Harry was dodging his questions.

"Yes ok! I don't know why or how but I just do these things! I can't explain them I was just born with the abilities! It's not something I can control!" Louis didn't understand.

"Abilities?"

"Yes abilities! The blood you saw? Yeah I cut my hand, it healed instantly, I can't get hurt that easily! Me running into you? You're right, I wasn't walking I was on the other side of town less than a minute before that so excuse me if I had to use super speed to run to school so I wouldn't be too late! And yeah, what you saw in there, I'm strong and I'm good at sport and anything else you could imagine!" Harry got out, getting progressively quieter as the tears began streaming down his face again. Louis felt incredibly confused and guilty; Harry was only 16 and had special abilities like these? What did he even do with them? Louis felt bad that he had forced the younger boy into crying again so he leaned over and wrapped his arms around Harry's lean torso.

"It's alright Harry. I'm sorry I pressured you I'm just trying to understand what's going on in your head, it's weird that you aren't an open book to me like most people, I'm just trying to get to know you better and so far I quite like you," Louis mumbled soothingly. Harry sniffles a few times before Louis pulled back from the hug.

"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled.

"No Harry why are you sorry? You've done nothing at all!" Louis exclaimed in surprise, this boy was just one shock after another.

"No I do, all I've done is lie to you and dodge your questions, its unfair to you. You have to understand that I only told Liam and Zayn about what I could do last week and I've liked you for such a long time I didn't want you thinking-" Harry stopped speaking abruptly.

"Didn't want me thinking what Harry?"

"I didn't want you to think I was a freak! Ok? I'm such a freak that's why no one knows about what I can do, I didn't even want you to know because now everyone's going to find out and I just can't-" Harry hiccupped, still not completely over his crying.

"Hey, hey no look at me Harry," Louis said softly. "I don't think you're a freak at all! I won't tell anyone although I still don't understand what you mean about abilities though," Louis soothed.

“You- You really won’t?” Harry asked, sniffling a little bit.

“Why would I Harry? Obviously this is hard for you, it’s not my place to go around telling people things like this anyway,” Louis explained and he watched as Harry visibly relaxed.

“I- Thank you I suppose, I really don’t know what to say,” Harry remarked.

“That’s alright; I suppose you just want to go home now?” Louis suggested, feeling Harry’s unease still apparent.

“Yeah, I’m really sorry to cut this short but it’s a lot to deal with,” Harry replied, wiping his tears away.

“That’s alright, I’ll talk to you on Monday at school.”

“Are- are we okay Louis?” Harry asked and Louis nodded.

“Yeah Harry, we’re okay.”

 

***

 

On Monday morning, Harry realised he would have to face Louis again. Not only would he have to face possible judging looks and questions but the possibility that Louis had lied to him and had told other people about what he could do. By the time Harry had reached school on Monday morning, he realised he hadn’t even considered going out and doing any hero sorts of things due to his nervousness that weekend.

 

“Harry!” Louis shouted, spotting him as he was walking down the corridor of the school. Harry turned and spotted the boy, a small smile gracing his face despite his nervousness. He had noticed that people were looking at the two boys in curiosity, why was popular Louis Tomlinson hanging out with quiet, clumsy Harry Styles?

“Oh um, hi Louis, what’s up?” Harry asked timidly.

“I was just seeing if you were alright after Friday night is all,” Louis smiled shyly.

“Yeah I’m fine… Hey do you mind if we don’t do this out here, it’s just that people are staring so-“ Harry was cut off by Louis grabbing his hand and pulling him into the nearest empty classroom.

 

“I’m really sorry about the way I acted on Friday, I was kind of confused and stunned by everything I suppose,” Louis managed to utter out.

“Oh no, Louis its fine, I promise, it’s just that I suppose i’m not all that comfortable with what I can do yet, it’s easier when less people know, Zayn and Liam only found out last week as well so-“ Harry was cut off once again.

“No Harry, honestly it’s ok, I shouldn’t have delved into your private life that much and you know what, I think I can manage without knowing what ‘powers’ you were talking about even if I have been wondering about them all week…” Louis trailed off with a smirk and Harry couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’s fine Louis, I’ll explain everything, just maybe not when we have to get to class, perhaps, on another date? Friday night, same time as last, I’ll make it up to you I promise,” Harry gave Louis a face-splitting grin before beginning to walk towards his first period class. Before he even made it out of the door, he turned around.

“I forgot something!” He exclaimed, running towards where Louis was standing. Without Louis even registering it, Harry gave him a kiss on the cheek before running back off to his class.

If Louis’ blinding grin caused curiosity among other students then he let them wonder, he had another date with the brilliant, curly haired superhero.


End file.
